Timeline

Wolferts Chronology 1992-2014

1992: Michelle and Brian Wolferts marry.

1994-2000: Brian engages in extramarital affairs with five women between the ages of 18 and 29. Upon Michelle’s discovery of the last of these affairs in 2000, he seeks help for his self-described “sex addiction.” He sees Dr. Randy Hyde for treatment (Brian has admitted to this).

March 1995: Brian pushes and shoves to the floor a 7-months-pregnant Michelle (Brian has admitted to this).

May 1995: Brittany is born.

May 1999: Sydney is born.

October 2000: Danielle is born.

           

~2000: Brian is “forced to quit” his job at multi-level-marketing company Enrich International because of a “potential sexual harassment charge.” (Brian has admitted to this).

2000-2003: Brian engages in 30-40 online affairs—chat rooms, emails, Internet personals, etc. (Brian has admitted to this). Michelle supports Brian and their children by building an in-home business teaching piano lessons to numerous students. Michelle supports Brian through school.

April 11, 2003: Brian, having been unsuccessful in his efforts to overcome his sexual addiction, self-refers himself to expert psychotherapist Dr. C.Y. Roby for evaluation. Brian admits to being “fairly worried” about not being reinstated to the LDS church and “very worried” that his family will leave him. Dr. Roby concludes that Brian’s “sexual arousal patterns suggest a need for supervision and psychotherapy. Such therapy should include sexual reorientation therapy if he is to make the necessary modifications of his deviant sexual arousal patterns.” Dr. Roby also says it is clear that Brian “has a significant problem in regards to his sexuality and the controlling of his impulses and attractions” and that Brian “appears to be somewhat hypersexualized.”

Spring 2004: Piano student Camilla M. Inks witnesses “strange treatment of the children by Brian,” in which Brian grabbed three-year-old Dani “by one of her arms just above the elbow. He jerked her up and held her in the air by her one arm as if she was a little rag doll. He shook her and yelled at her, ‘when someone tells you to stop, you stop!’ He carried her over to the counter still holding her by her one arm. I was afraid Brian might dislocate her shoulder by the way he carelessly jerked her around. He plopped Dani down on the barstool forcefully and yelled. ‘I didn’t excuse you! Finish eating your lunch!” Ms. Inks also describes another incident where “Dani seemed to show some very disconcerting signs of possibly being sexually abused.”

May 2004: Michelle, fed up with Brian’s sexual dalliances, threatens to leave, and arranges for a room at a shelter.

September 16, 2004: Brian files for divorce. Michelle is awarded temporary primary custody of the girls pending final order from the court.

November 8, 2004: Marilyn Keil, Women’s Program Coordinator for the Center for Women and Children, executes a notarized letter stating that she “witnessed Sydney Wolferts cry and scream for over 45 minutes stating that she did not want to go see her dad. She mentioned to me that she was afraid. I told her that her sisters would be there and that they know the number to call if she feels unsafe.”

April 1, 2005: Dr. Randy Hyde performs psychological evaluation (an MMPI-2 test) on Michelle Wolferts and concludes that she enjoyed “exceptionally healthy psychological functioning.”

January 3, 2005: DCFS case worker Taylor Allred sends Brian Wolferts a letter informing him that, after an investigation, DCFS  “concluded that, in its opinion, there was a reasonable basis to believe that you were responsible for abuse or neglect” of 9-year-old Brittany.

February 28, 2006: A biopsy of Sydney taken at Primary Children’s definitively confirms that Sydney is celiac, and suffers severe harm from eating gluten. A strict gluten-free diet for Sydney is prescribed. Michelle claims to have taken Sydney to approximately 80 doctor visits to treat her negative symptoms prior to her biopsy which explained her problems.

May 2007: Michelle is awarded custody; Brian gets visitation.

June 15, 2007: Bifurcated divorce is granted.

June 19, 2007: Licensed Clinical Social Worker Erin E. Vasquez confirms that Michelle Wolferts has been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder “related to domestic violence.”

September 2007: Brian, believing that Sydney does not actually have celiac disease, insists on feeding Syd foods containing gluten. Dr. Harnsberger again confirms that Sydney has celiac disease.

November 2007: Brian marries Angie.

April 2007-March 2008: The girls complain to Michelle repeatedly about Brian’s abuse. Brian refuses to put Sydney on gluten-free diet, mocks her and Michelle about it; Sydney suffers terrible pains when forced to eat gluten at Brian’s house.

March 26, 2008: Dr. Roby signs an affidavit declaring that Brian had never completed the sex therapy program that had been recommended and that any “filial therapy” program with Brian and the children could put the children “at great risk.”

May 2008-March 2011: Michelle files motion to modify custody order to mandate that Brian get supervised visits. Brian engages in scorched-earth litigation tactics running up legal bills, refuses mediations, and delays final order for two years. The Guardian ad Litem, assigned by the court as advocate for the girls, never talks to them. He asks for Michelle’s pleadings to be stricken. Michelle’s lawyer fails to put on evidence, preserve objections, properly cross-examine witnesses, call supporting witnesses, or raise arguments that can be used on an appeal. The court strikes Michelle’s pleadings, finding that she was not credible because she was “uncooperative” (i.e., she has trouble making timely payments to the custody evaluator and ACAFS) despite the fact that she underwent polygraph examinations showing that she was truthful regarding all of her testimony the court questioned.

Dr. Roby does not testify. Dr. Hyde does not testify. The judge does not interview the girls. The custody evaluator declares the 2005 DCFS finding that Brian committed domestic abuse irrelevant because it was not abuse against Brittany but “only” domestic abuse against Michelle in the presence of Brittany. The custody evaluator never looks at Dr. Roby’s Psychosexual Evaluation of Brian and never talks to Dr. Roby.

Custody evaluator Harold Blakelock states in his Feb 2010 Custody Report that Brian admitted to "a history of sexual contact with a child" and that the ethical standards of the Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers (Section 12.03 Ethical Standards) clearly states anyone with such a history should have supervised visits with children. But he recommends custody be given to Brian anyway. 

Against their wishes, the court awards custody to Brian, who was unemployed at the time. Michelle, earning a little more than $8 per hour, is ordered to pay almost $500 per month in child support, as well as Brian’s attorney fees, and her own litigation expenses. Because Brian is unemployed, the court relieves him of his obligation to pay alimony. Michelle finds an attorney who does not normally engage in litigation to represent her pro bono on an appeal. It takes two years to get a decision from the Court of Appeals.

2011: Abby is born to Brian and Angie.

July 2011: Brian contends that Sydney has been cured of her celiac disease. Dr. Harnsberger once again confirms that Sydney is celiac.

2011-2014: Brittany describes some of the alleged abuse that she, her mother, stepmother, and her sisters have experienced at Brian’s hands over the years:

•    As small children he would violently shake, shove, slap, throw, wrench our skin, pull our hair, jamb his elbow in to our abdomen and knock our heads with knuckles or thumb and forefinger, etc.
•    He often picks [Abby] up in a very unusual way by gripping his hands around her upper thighs and carrying her by her upper thighs in to her room.
•    We have seen him physically hurt her, and have seen many bruises on her upper thighs. W e have been too afraid to take pictures because he always checks our phone and obsessively controls us in order to find out about every single thing we do or say.
•    When he takes her screaming into the room, locks the door, and prevents her mother and everyone else from entering, we have overheard a pattern of her going from 5 to 10 minutes of intense screaming to, about 15 seconds or more of abrupt silence, screaming again then silence, which is followed by a long period of crying. We have often wondered if it is possible for her to be dead during her sudden total silence after screaming only because we can’t think of anything that would cause her sudden silence. This has happened approximately 2 to 3 times a week beginning from around the time she was 1 and l ½ years old, which would make it over 200 times.
•    He has slapped been verbally abusive and constantly been extremely cruel to our stepmom in front of us on a weekly basis, constantly making her cry.
•    During the approximate three months that he started constantly telling us in-depth details about Josh Powell he would obsessively describe disturbing details about the way Josh Powell’s mind worked, tell us in great detail about how Josh Powell thought, and give us many painstaking details about all the various kinds of tactics Josh Powell used. This was extremely uncomfortable for us because he was near precisely describing himself and the ways that he acted and thought.
•    He often performs an abusive or negative act, immediately claims that others have performed his acts, then pretends that he is being grievously victimized by those very people he has acted upon. He has convinced many people through this pretend victim acting.
•    He has brought up leaving the U S., and we are sure he is planning another move in the same way that he secretly planned to move us quickly away from here [Utah]
•    We have all experienced physical damage through various illnesses and symptoms of prolonged emotional distress through: varying degrees of shock, nauseas, severe headaches, bed wetting, nightmares, Celiac’s Disease symptoms, flashbacks, and overwhelming desire for our lives to end—at times with an imminent threat of complete emotional breakdown.

2013: Brittany turns 18 and moves out of Brian’s house the next day. Brian later says that Brittany “snuck out” of his house.

2013: The Utah Court of Appeals rejects Michelle’s appeal noting that at the contempt hearing before the Commissioner, “[Michelle]’s attorney did not seek to call any witnesses to rebut the statements made by the GAL, Father, or the special master in each of their arguments against [Michelle].” 2103 UT App 235, ¶ 13. Additionally, Michelle’s arguments were “inadequately briefed.” Id. ¶ 15. The Court of Appeals does not rule on the substance of Michelle’s arguments because Michelle “preserved neither her issues related to the district court’s ruling striking her pleadings nor her constitutional issues in the district court. Therefore, we do not consider those issues on appeal.” Id. ¶ 24.

December 27, 2013: Brian, apparently without giving proper notice to Michelle, moves to Topeka, Kansas, taking Syd and Dani with him despite their adamant protests that they wanted to stay in Utah with their mom, sister, extended family (including both paternal and maternal grandparents), friends, familiar schools, and church communities.

April 2014: Michelle files a motion in district court regarding Brian’s removal of the girls to Kansas without proper notice.

June 2014: Syd and Dani visit their mom Michelle in Utah for summer visitation. Brittany takes them to Dr. Hyde, who examines them and executes an affidavit (later submitted to the Utah County Juvenile Court) stating that based on his interviews with Sydney and Danielle he did not “question the veracity of the petition’s representation of statements attributed to them.” Additionally, Dr. Hyde opined that the girls “would be severely emotionally harmed if they were restored to the physical custody of their father.” Dr. Hyde reported to DCFS the need for an investigation to take place on an emergency basis.

June 26, 2014: Brittany files a petition in Utah County Juvenile Court for a change of custody over Syd and Dani, detailing years of verbal, emotional, and physical abuse by Brian against Brittany, Sydney, Danielle, Abby, and Angie. The petition is also submitted to the Assistant Attorney General for DCFS of the State of Utah. The petition includes detailed allegations of Brian’s years of domestic abuse.

June 30, 2014: Brittany files an ex parte motion seeking appointment of a Guardian ad Litem for Syd and Dani, a temporary restraining order to prevent Brian from picking up the girls and taking them to a family reunion, and an expedited hearing on the petition. The court grants the motion, appoints a GAL, enters the TRO, and sets a hearing for July 11, 2014 at 3:30 p.m.

July 7, 2014: Brian, through his lawyer Ron Wilkinson, files a motion to vacate the temporary restraining order and dismiss the Guardian ad Litem appointed by the Juvenile Court, arguing that Brittany knew Brian was represented, the Juvenile Court lacked jurisdiction, and that Brian was not properly served with process. Brian does not address any of the substantive allegations in the application or Dr. Hyde’s opinions. The Juvenile Court grants Brian’s motion, vacates the restraining order, and dismisses the GAL.

July 9, 2014: Syd and Dani learn that the court dismissed the GAL and vacated the temporary restraining order. They disappear for a few hours. Michelle reports them missing. That afternoon, the Court declares that it will go forward with the hearing scheduled for July 11. Syd and Dani return to their mother’s home.

July 11, 2014: A hearing is conducted before Judge Bartholomew. Brian’s lawyer attends. The substance of the petition and Dr. Hyde’s affidavit are not addressed. Brian’s attorney focuses the discussion on procedural details. Judge Bartholomew reinstates the Guardian ad Litem but refuses to re-issue the temporary restraining order, and kicks the hearing on the abuse allegations to at least October 2014. Judge Bartholomew orders the GAL to talk to the girls.

July 17, 2014: Brittany is driving Syd and Dani to see the GAL. Syd and Dani bolt from the car; Brittany pursues on foot, then attempts to pursue in the car. They get away and have been missing ever since.

July 28, 2014: The court, responding to a motion from Brittany's pro bono attorney for written findings of fact and conclusions of law relating to the July 11 hearing, enters a decision regarding Brittany's motion because Brian's attorney had failed to submit a proposed order in the 17 days since the hearing had occurred. Judge Bartholomew says that there will be no hearing until after Brian is properly served but makes no mention of any requirement that Michelle be served.

~August 2014: Michelle Wolferts disappears and has been missing ever since.

August 26, 2014: The Provo Daily Herald reports that Brian Wolferts is looking for his missing daughters. Shortly thereafter, friends of Brian’s father start a “Fundly” account to raise money for Brian Wolferts’s past and future legal bills. Angie’s brother starts a Facebook public group called “Help find our missing girls” (https://www.facebook.com/groups/326395234186606/) to promote awareness of flyer posting campaigns. A link to the “Fundly” account is tagged at the top of the page permanently. Brian made this public page private this week.

Brittany starts her own Facebook page called “Missing Wolferts girls – finding the answers.” (https://www.facebook.com/Wolfertsgirlstruth) in an effort to offset the negative comments on Brian’s page and to promote the truth behind the girls’ decision to run away. (This page was run for two months primarily by a non-family volunteer who recently closed the site without informing Brittany first. It is now returned by Facebook to the family.)

September 2, 2014: Utah County District Court holds hearing on motion of Michelle’s counsel to withdraw as counsel due to health issues and lapsed bar membership (to which Brian objected). The court allows withdrawal of counsel. Two days later, the court strikes Michelle’s pleadings.

September 22, 2014: Brittany's new paid lawyer files a motion to enlarge time for service, as Brian had been avoiding it.

September 23, 2014: Syd and Dani record a video, in which they state the following:

Syd: I'm Sydney Wolferts, and this is my sister:

Dani: Dani Wolferts

Syd: and we have something important to say.

Dani: Well, first of all, we're not missing, or lost. We're very safe. But, we ran away because no one was listening to us. And we aren't coming back until we can live with our mom again.

Syd: I'm fifteen and a half, and you're almost fourteen. (Dani nods) And people keep telling us we should talk to a judge to tell them what we want, and why. But, we're not allowed to talk to a judge, and instead of a judge listening to us, we were just ordered back to Kansas.

Dani: And the reason why we were taken from our mom in the first place is because of a really big lie. And it's so weird that we were taken because of that lie after living with our mom our whole life. Our mom hasn't ever made us or tried to make us hate our dad, but some people keep trying to make us believe that.

Syd: And it's actually the exact opposite. Our dad has so much hate for our mom, and he's got other people to hate her too, so he can get what he wants. And we care about him, but the lies that are being told and the hatred for our mom is hard to be around. Mom's positive and kind.

Dani: And some attorney people who don't know us must think they do because they made us live with our dad.

Syd: We are supposed to have the right to be safe. So we are refusing to go back. And if anyone tries to make us, we will just keep running away until we can be safe again.

Dani: And the people fighting against what's good for us, are making this whole problem happen, and we just want them to stop.

Syd: We're just tired of not being heard. And pleading for them to just leave us alone. And if we have to keep running away and something bad happens because of it, it will be their fault.

Dani: And we just hope that someone is listening.

September 26, 2014: Brian's lawyer finally submits his proposed order. Brittany's lawyer objects.

September 30, 2014:  The video is received in the mail by a family member.

October 2, 2014: A copy of the video is turned over to the Orem Police and to Brian’s attorney.

October 3, 2014: The video is uploaded to YouTube.

October 10, 2014: The court enters the order over Brittany's lawyer's objection. The order makes no mention of the need to serve Michelle.

October 15, 2014: The court denies Brittany's motion to enlarge time for service, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, says that Michelle also has to be served by October 24 or the Court will dismiss the petition.

October 16, 2014: Brian is properly served personally the original petition and summons, within the deadline.

October 24, 2014: Brittany's lawyer files a motion to serve Michelle by publication.

October 29, 2014: Brian's lawyer files a motion to dismiss because Michelle did not get served. The motion to dismiss does not address any of the substantive claims made in the petition.

November 2, 2014: Brittany's lawyer files an amended petition.

November 3, 2014: Four more video segments are received in the mail by a family member, who uploaded all four to YouTube.

November 5, 2014: Judge Bartholomew, before the time for filing a response is passed, dismisses the case without prejudice because Michelle was not served.

The rules of civil procedure in Utah provide that an action will not be dismissed if at least one defendant has been served, the case should not be dismissed but should proceed against the defendant who was properly and timely served. Brittany may have grounds for a motion to reconsider or an appeal. I understand she is looking at all her options. But the bottom line is this: Michelle should not have had to be served. The requirement that she be served was imposed by the court after she went missing and on the eve of the expiration of the 120 days. The same court that said Brittany was acting as a proxy for her mother dismissed her case for not serving her mother. Ridiculous. Brian used the system-imposed Catch-22 on Brittany to prevent his daughters from being heard and to get their guardian ad litem dismissed. He still has not responded to, and no court has ever ruled on, the substance of the allegations in the original or amended petitions. He has simply maneuvered to make sure his girls remain in hiding where he does not have to face the truths they surely would tell if given the opportunity.

November 20, 2014: Brittany's lawyer files a Notice of Appeal.

December 5, 2014: Brittany's lawyer files a Petition on Appeal with the Utah Court of Appeals seeking reversal of Judge Bartholomew's order dismissing her case.

December 18, 2014: Brian's lawyer files a motion to dismiss Brittany's appeal, arguing that Judge Bartholomew screwed up by not using the magic words "This is a final order. No other action is necessary" when he said he was dismissing the entire action and terminating his own jurisdiction over the case.


January 3, 2016: Sydney, Dani and Michelle were found at approx. 3 a.m. in Pleasant Grove, Utah and taken into police custody. Sydney and Dani were separated and interviewed at the Orem Police Department and threatened to be sent straight back to Kansas. They ended up at Slate Canyon Youth Detention Center in Provo, where they have been residing since. Michelle was taken to the Spanish Fork Prison and bailed shortly after.

January 28, 2016: Brittany criminally files against Brian in the Pleasant Grove Police Department for abuse that occurred between 2010-2013 both while she lived in his Pleasant Grove residence and before they moved to Kansas (6 months after she moved out).

February 17, 2016: The Utah County Attorney Criminal Division responds with their Prosecution Screening Denial.

February 27, 2016:  Record of Petition Service is received, showing official service of the Petition on Brian Wolferts.

March 3, 2016: Brian's lawyer files a Motion in Limine to keep Sydney and Danielle from testifying in court.

March 17, 2016: After promising to hear Sydney and Dani's testimonies, Judge Bartholomew denies them their right to speak and after court sends an order via e-mail directing them back to Brian in Kansas the following day.

March 18, 2016: Sydney and Danielle Wolferts are taken by rough, physical force from Slate Canyon in Provo, Utah. Making a few unauthorized stops along the way, they end up in Topeka, Kansas.

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*Over the next eighteen months, Brittany continues to pursue her sisters' safety. More updates to come, including a win in the Utah Supreme Court to have her petition of abuse sent back to Juvenile Court with Judge Bartholomew recused and a new judge appointed.*

May 24, 2017: Sydney Wolferts turns eighteen years old.

September 2017: Brittany organizes a rescue mission, drives to Topeka, Kansas and gives Sydney the opportunity to leave. They meet after not being able to speak privately for three years. Sydney leaves with the clothes on her back and insists on making a report to the Topeka police as she leaves, so she "cannot be listed as a missing person or runaway and that there is no confusion that I left of my own free will and choice."

March 2018: Sydney adds her name to Brittany's petition of abuse.

April 2, 2018: Another hearing takes place in preparation for trial. Deadlines for witnesses and other information approach shortly.

April 24, 2018: Trial begins.